1. Technical Field
This invention relates to ring sizing devices and, more particularly, to a digital ring sizing device for assisting a user to easily and accurately determine a ring size of a selected user finger.
2. Prior Art
During a visit to a jewelry establishment, it is common to determine a person's ring size for purchasing a ring or for adjusting a previously purchased ring. When determining ring size, a flexible measuring tape is typically wrapped around the perimeter of a finger at a location where a ring is to be worn. The measuring tape may include distance measuring indicia, such as inches or centimeters, which thereafter require referral to a chart or table to determine the appropriate ring size. Ring size indicia may alternatively be conveniently imprinted directly onto a surface of a flexible tape for directly determining ring size.
One prior art example shows a combined measuring device for indicating both the ring size of a user and the size of a gemstone, and includes an elongate housing having a hollow interior and a first measurement scale located along a length of the housing. The first measurement scale includes indicia representative of different ring sizes. An indicator is slidably mounted on the housing for movement along the measurement scale, with at least a portion of the indicator extending into the hollow interior of the housing. A flexible measuring band has a first end removably connected to an end portion of the housing and a second end connected to the indicator portion within the housing. The flexible measuring band forms a measuring loop outside of the housing such that movement of the indicator along the housing changes the size of the measuring loop to thereby adjust to the size of an object to be measured. A second measurement scale is located on a length of the flexible measuring band and includes indicia representative of distance. With this arrangement, the relative position of the indicator with respect to the first measurement scale is indicative of ring size when at least a portion of the object is located within the measuring loop, and the relative position of the second measurement scale with respect to the housing is indicative of gemstone size. The measuring band may be removed from the housing for independently measuring distance or other geometrical parameters. A groove or step may be formed on an inner surface of the measuring loop for holding an object being measured. Unfortunately, this prior art example is cumbersome to use and does not offer a means of digitally displaying the determined ring size of the user.
Another prior art example shows a ring sizer which can be inserted into an inside circumference of a band portion of a ring in order to self adjust the ring size to a wearer's finger. The ring sizer includes a plurality of elongated body sections having their end portions nestingly arranged with respect to each other. Each of the body sections is constructed to straddle the band portion of the ring. An arcuately shaped leaf spring functions as a retaining bar for supporting all of the body sections in a longitudinally adjacent relationship, with the body sections thereby forming an arcuate configuration. An arcuately shaped leaf spring functions as a biasing bar, which is curved in an opposing direction to the retaining bar to engage the ring band portion so that the arcuate configuration of the body sections conforms to the wearer's finger. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not allow the user to accurately measure the ring size of the selected user finger via an air bladder and switches respectively and subsequently display the determined size via a display screen.
Accordingly, a need remains for a digital ring sizing device and associated method in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a device that is convenient to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and assists a user to easily and accurately determine a ring size of a selected user finger. Such a device allows the user to quickly determine a ring size and purchase the properly sized ring while at the seller's place of business. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.